From Sky to Soil: A Morphing Aerial-Ground Robot for Seed Deployment

Abstract

Aerial seed broadcasting can reach remote restoration sites, but provides limited control over seed placement within the soil. This paper presents a geometry-assisted, tri-functional morphing robot that combines aerial access, ground locomotion, and controlled-depth seed embedding in a fly-drive-plant architecture. After landing, the platform reconfigures into a four-wheeled planting configuration: an electronically coupled dual-motor drive folds the rear arms outward to form ground wheels, while a descending front tray engages the propulsion motors with a drill gear train. Reusing the propulsion motors for drilling eliminates a dedicated drill drive. The planting sequence forms a hole, dispenses a seed, and allows the vehicle to reposition on the ground or return to its flight configuration. Ground mobility supports repeated planting without requiring a separate flight between adjacent sites. A companion controller issues reconfiguration, tray, and seed-gate commands, while a dedicated autopilot handles flight control. The morphing and planting mechanisms are validated using a hardware prototype that demonstrates ground repositioning and seed embedding. This proof of concept establishes a hardware basis for aerial-ground seed embedding through coordinated reconfiguration and actuator reuse.

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